

The Lycan's Obsession
After her parents are killed in a pack attack, Celia escapes the clutches of the alpha and his notorious pack members only to find herself face to face with the youngest Lycan Prince, Jasper. He is someone everybody avoids, nobody understands and even the King is wary of. "Just kill me and be done with it" she says as irritation builds up inside her. She is not even afraid of death anymore. "Things have gotten too interesting for that" he replies, dragging her out of her thoughts with a malicious look and a smile that does not reach his eyes. Death would have been an easy way out but there was no escaping Prince Jasper.Chapter 1 Chapter 1
Celia Tonight was the most horrible night of my life. The lightning was thundering and the black clouds looked as gloomy as my life and my pack was being torn to shreds. Our lives had been peaceful earlier but ever since the Lycan King had cast his gaze upon the southernmost part of his territory, where my pack resided, things had gone downhill. Werewolves were his pawns and alphas bowed to him. Under his rule, even the mighty alphas cowered in fear. And now, as the rain poured down on me, I was sitting on the ground, unable to move…unable to think. “Ma…please don’t leave me” She had lost blood…lots of blood. Her gaze flicked to the pups that were cowering under the small shade and trying their best to hide from the attackers. “Go, save the pups” My mother ordered as I saw a werewolf lunge at us. I was too stunned to even move but my mother turned around and deflected his sharp claw that would have slashed through my abdomen. She saved me but she took the brunt of the attack as the claw ripped through the fabric of her dress, making blood blossom through her already blood soaked white dress. “Nooo” I took a step ahead but my mother’s eyes were glued to the pups. “Save them” She ordered again. My mother tried to valiantly protect me from the werewolf who slashed out with his long claws at my mother for the second time. I helplessly watched her fall to the ground and my eyes widened in horror. I wanted to run to her but her gaze told me what she wanted me to do. As the daughter of a beta, my first responsibility was towards the pack. Not my immediate family but the pack. I was Celia Klaus, daughter of beta Valeric Klaus and his mate Grace Klaus of the Brightwood pack. We had been attacked for the third time this week. Our pack members were already injured and weak due to the back to back battles. And that is why Alpha Kyle Declan of the Whitestone pack had decided to attack our home when we were at our weakest. The Declan pack was known for being cruel and cunning and their alpha was notorious for playing wicked tricks to snatch women and able warriors of other packs. My father had fought valiantly and bought the alpha and the luna along with their newborn pup some time to find shelter. But, he had been too late to return for his own family. Meanwhile, the werewolf’s gaze flicked to the pups and terror dug its ugly fangs deep into me. My heart was thudding wildly and I knew that this was possibly the last time I would see my mom. But, she ordered in a stern voice, “Go” I had no choice but to take the pups and run toward one of the bunkers. The sound of growling and screaming was all that I heard as I took them to safety. Instead of bolting straight for the bunker, I ran around a bit so as to throw the werewolf off the track, should he pursue me. It was a risk but I had to take it. Holding the pups in my hand, I ran through the muddy waters and circled around the bunkers before entering it. A few other females were hiding in too and they immediately took hold of their pups while asking me to sit with them. Some of them were elders and others too young, just like the pups I had rescued. “Wait, don’t go outside!!” Elder Lina said grabbing my hand and shaking her head. She was looking at me with a lot of worry and concern. Her pale wrinkly hand would probably not have much strength to carry the pups to some other place, should the attackers find out the bunker. I also could not fight the werewolves all by myself. But, I could not let my mom fight alone. I could not let her die. I was in a dilemma and paced through the bunker, not knowing what to do. I was worried sick about my mother and immediately mind-linked with her. “Mom, are you okay?” She answered in a weak voice, “Yeah, I am doing fine. The werewolf didn’t follow you, right? Did you get all the pups to safety?”“Yes I did. Hang in there, I am coming” I said and took a step forward when Elder Lina spoke again. “If you go out they will kill you too.” She was right. They had killed almost everybody. I did not worry about my life but I had to be practical, I could not let the old and the weak die if I ran after my mother and gave away the bunker’s location. The werewolves of the Declan pack were everywhere. I could hear their voices amidst the pitter-patter of raindrops. So, I sat in the bunker, pacing up and down through it as I kept connected with mom using my mind-link. “Did reinforcement arrive?” I asked her and I could hear her struggle to speak. “No, but they should be here anytime soon. Your father has taken the alpha, luna and their newborn pup to a safe place.” Mom informed me as I felt her voice weaken with every spoken word. I wanted to step out but then I heard a few footsteps sloshing through the water, approaching us. I quickly crouched back and adjusted the layer of leaves above the entrance of our bunker. It was hard to hear anything because the roaring sound of my heartbeat drowned out every other noise around me. Calming my wildly beating heart, I placed my ear on the earthen wall of the bunker and tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. “Are there any female survivors left? Alpha Kyle has asked us to take every single female back to the palace.” Palace? Why would alpha Kyle’s warriors take women to the palace? Did it not belong to the Lycan king? I wondered and grew interested in the conversation. The other warrior spat and answered, “I can’t see any. I wanted one or two for myself but looks like alpha Kyle has to make up for his earlier mistake.” His comrade guffawed like a maniac and replied, “Yeah, the good ones always go to the king. The leftovers go to the princes. And if we are lucky, we get to pick through the trash, if even Prince Jasper doesn’t want anything.” My body gave an involuntary shudder when I heard that. Prince Jasper. The evil prince of the Lycan king who everybody feared but nobody could say a word against him. He was despised by all and I had heard rumors that even the King was wary of him. “Hey, if there is nothing left to do, come on. We have to dispose of the corpses” Another voice called them out from a distance and snapped me out of my thoughts as they turned around and left. All the others in the bunker took a breath of relief but my breath hitched. Mom. The voice had said ‘corpses’ No it couldn’t be true. I had to go and find her. I had been so engrossed in listening to them that I totally missed noticing that the mind link had been severed. They walked away from the bunker and I could not hold myself back any longer. So, I simply ran outside the bunker and straight to the spot I had last seen her. Mom was lying in a puddle, leaning against a thick tree trunk. The rain had stopped but I could see the water getting mixed with the blood. My knees quaked and I felt my vision blur as a cold dread began to claw at my heart again, twisting it in knots. “Ma!!” Tearing out a piece of fabric from my blouse, I tried to tie it around her wounds. But there were too many wounds, all of which were bleeding profusely. “I will find the pack healer, hang on,” I said but she weakly grabbed my hand. “It is too late for that.”“Noo…please don’t say that. Dad will be here shortly, you will be okay. Just stay with me.” I begged but mom only said, “You are strong, remember that.” I was crying as the two warriors I had eavesdropped on earlier reached me and laughed deviously. “Looks like we found a sneaky little bitch” Their eyes raked me from top to bottom as they licked their lips. “Oh sweetheart, don’t cry. We will look after you” One of them said while the other crouched down on the ground to take a better look at me. “Hmm. She is not too gorgeous so maybe the King and alpha will not want her. What say let us keep her for ourselves?” The other man rubbed his hands together as they held my hands from either side and began dragging me, away from my mother who gave one last shudder before going deathly still. “Give us a nice time, baby”
Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Celia The two men were dragging me to a far corner, away from the center of the territory. While others were busy disposing of the dead, these two men wanted to rape me. Fear and panic rose in my heart when I heard their words. They were both strong and muscular while I was thin and weak. I could not stand against them in a fight. My mother’s last words echoed in my head. “You are strong, remember that.” ‘Think Celia, think’ At that same instance, my wolf, Rain, spoke to me in my head, “The moment they free your hands, give me full control. I will run away as fast as I can.” She tried to reassure me. But the men maintained an iron fist on me. They took my hands and tied them to a tree as I shouted. “If you are man enough, let me stay free and I will show you how it is done” I snarled but they obviously did not pay any attention to my provocation and instead thought of it as an invitation. “Ooh, you want to show us? This one can surely bite” One of them grabbed my face by the chin and traced the outlines of my lips with the pad of his thumb. I felt revolted at the way he touched me but my hands were tied, I could not do anything. Pleading and begging them would not work so I decided to play smart. “Look, I cannot fight both of you either way. My pack is gone either way and I do not want to be sold to the King. It is better for me to listen to you.” Their chests swelled with pride as I said that. Horny dumbasses!! “She is right. This frail looking girl is no match for us and obviously, we will give her much more wealth than the King who will just make her clean the toilets. Let me untie her.” The men untied me and then one of them grabbed a fistful of my hair. “Show us how obedient you are.” The other man unzipped his pants before reaching for mine. I tried to not gag as his sleazy hands reached for my waist and pulled down my pant in one go. “You stated that I would clean toilets right? I don’t think you would be able to pee anymore. Thank you for the idea,” I said and he only blinked at me in confusion. “Now Rain” I said in my head as I let my wolf take control of me. I transformed into a wolf and my claws sliced through the man’s pants, aiming straight for his groin. He let out a pained groan as my claws came out streaked in blood, making sure that the man had no dick to pee or to father a child again. I did not wait for the other man’s reaction as I tore through the woods. No human or werewolf was chasing me but the haunting memories of the past few hours were enough to ensure that I kept running. I did not know when I slumped to the ground and passed out from exhaustion but when I did open my eyes, I found myself in a dark room. I was thrown in a cellar of sorts with other women. I had also reverted to my human form. The stench of urine and sweat intermingled with the heavy air and made me want to puke. I slowly pulled myself up and opened my eyes to see that I was naked. I immediately covered my chest with my hands and pressed my legs together. Somebody tapped on the cellar’s giant iron door with a metal rod and spoke in a gruff voice, “Get up all of you and form a line” The girls around me looked confused but two women rushed in carrying a water bucket, soap, brushes and towels. They began wiping and cleaning us gruffly. “What is going on?” I asked as one of the women removed my hand from my chest to get rid of the stench of urine and dried blood. The brush was as rough as sandpaper and it felt like she was on a mission to completely peel off my skin. It looked like I had escaped one trouble and somehow walked into another. Based on whatever I could make out from the whispered murmuring and the woman, the Lycan King and his three princes were a lot stronger and taller than the average werewolf. They could even walk on two legs, had sharper reflexes, and ruled all over us, witches, fae, werewolves, and other magical creatures alike. I had just never heard of them much because they never cast their gaze at the southernmost part of their territory, the place where my pack used to live. “You are all going to be auctioned and were probably taken from packs that lost a battle. Every alpha tries to offer women to the King in exchange for the safety of his pack as a last resort when he does not see another way out.” My mouth fell open and I replied vehemently, “My alpha would never do that. He is an honorable man.” She stopped scrubbing and gave me a pointed look, “You belong to the Brightwood pack, right? Your alpha is at the King’s feet right now, begging for his newborn son’s safety. What do you think he will choose? His own blood or you?” Her words were sharp but it was the bitter truth. My parents had given their lives to save him and his family. My mother had died thwarting off the advances of alpha Kyle’s pack while my father had sacrificed himself while leading them to safety. Both had died yet the alpha had been probably found along with his family. My parents' death had been in vain. Tears fell down my face as I digested this piece of news. And, as if to console me, she offered me an unsolicited piece of advice. Pray that the youngest prince never looks at you” “Why? Is he a dick too?” I asked spitefully. So far, I had only heard of his name but people, in general, avoided talking about him. The woman turned me around and scrubbed my butt before moving on to the other girl beside me. “Watch your mouth, girl. Nobody knows for sure. Some say he is cursed others say he kills all the women when he is done toying with them.” I was somehow mentally preparing myself to be forced into bed with him…but to be killed when he would get bored of us? That was beyond cruel. After the two women were done scrubbing us to death we were dried and then taken outside the cellar and through some passage that took us inside the palace. I was shocked to see the riches all around us. I could not even start to describe the wealth that shone brightly all around us. Huge chandeliers hung from the ceiling that was carved in an ornate pattern of flowers and leaves. The pillars too were carved in delicate colors with the recurring motifs of the moon and wolf faces everywhere. Guards flanked us on either side as we were taken inside a chamber of sorts where four chairs were placed. The three princes were already seated on the chairs but only two paid attention to us. Their gaze was calculating as they all looked at us from head to toe. All except one. The third prince who was seated in the leftmost chair paid no attention to all the beautiful women standing in front of him. He did not even open his eyes. Somehow, my eyes were glued to him. He had a well-defined jawline, angular cheekbones, and sharp features. His dark brown hair seemed unruly and he had a bored look on his face as if he had seen tonnes of beautiful women before and the novelty had worn off. For all I knew that could very well be the case. But then he was the only one not gawking at us so I tried to distract myself by observing him. And somehow as if he knew I was staring at him, his eyes flew open before I could look away. A pair of silver eyes, unlike anything I had seen before, held my gaze. I felt my cheeks flame as his eyes bore into mine. I had already lost my family and pack. And my life was already on the line. What more could I lose? So, I stared back at him defiantly. Like the other women, I did not hang my head low but held it high, refusing to be displayed as an object. One by one the two princes got up from their seats and neared us. They were both extremely handsome and if not for my current situation, I might have fantasized about wanting them. However, my gaze kept flitting back to the third one who had closed his eyes, his head resting on his hand, apparently bored with our staring match. “Do you like anything sons?” The King’s voice reached me. And my heart almost jumped in my throat when both the princes stopped by me.
Chapter 3 Chapter 3
Celia The two princes stopped just in front of me and I felt my heart constrict. It was beating so wildly that I thought I would die of shortness of breath. They were both tall and their bodies obstructed my vision, blocking everything else in front of me. “Hmm, why is this month’s haul so low?”“Not sure, Edriel. Those rabid dogs need to be put on a leash.” So he was the eldest of the three, Prince Edriel. Prince Edriel, made a gruff noise as he touched a strand of my hair. I tried not to wince as he took a whiff and walked away from me, apparently done with me. I let out a sigh of relief when the eldest walked away. The second one was still hovering in front of me, but he seemed to be confused between me and the girl standing beside me. He had to be Jasper because he was staring at us with a devious glint. It was time to help him make a quick decision. He had to hate me. So I began to cough violently, making the most unlady like sounds I could muster. It wasn't my best performance—no doubt my heart was racing wildly at this point—but it would have to do. A thin frown line appeared on his forehead and I knew after looking at the split-second shift in his gaze that I had won. But I could not take risks. So, I coughed harder, bellowing like a horse that had trouble emptying its bowels and then stopping abruptly. His eyes widened as he stepped back. "This one is probably sick and dying." The girl moved aside too, her face tight with anger, but then she looked down and I saw tears begin to well up. It broke my heart to sacrifice her but then I had to save myself first. Relief flooded through me as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand like a grizzly bear. Everybody had fallen silent for a moment to look at me with disdain and contempt but I could feel a certain pair of eyes observing me with neither of the two emotions. The sleeping beauty of a prince had opened his eyes to look at me…with an amused smile. Meanwhile, the prince standing in front of me, slid his hand around the waist of the girl beside me and pulled her close, making her give a startled cry. “What is your name, darling?” The second prince asked, and the girl stuttered. “I…My name is Violet”“Hmm, Violet. Nice name” He said as he pulled a strand of hair away from her and then turned around, “I’ll take her”“Good choice, Draken” Violet screamed but the prince had already thrown her over his shoulder and began walking out of the room. She was thrashing her hands on his back but nobody went to save her. Draken. The King called him Draken not Jasper. That meant the one who had been observing me like a hawk was Jasper. Shit! I was doomed. I looked around and saw that I was the only one left left, Draken and Edriel had picked a few more girls while I had been busy coughing. I was the only girl left along with the King and the youngest prince whose eyelids had fluttered shut again. He was slouching on his chair, his robes swishing as he threw a leg on the other. His elbow was propped on the armrest and his chin was resting on it. Was this how he toyed with women? By feigning ignorance and making them beg to free them? Beg, my foot! I was going to make him beg! The King seemed to be done too and he got up from the seat. “Jasper, will you pay attention?” He asked in a disapproving tone as he looked at his son. My eyes went to him involuntarily too. Not that I had not worked out his identity earlier but it was both oddly reassuring that he was Jasper… the one prince I was not supposed to attract the attention of. And, I had met his gaze…thrice!! No, I had ensured through my cocky act that he would make me clean the toilets until they sparkled as brightly as the chandelier above. Rain let out a small wail in my head but I was too busy fighting my own emotions to comfort her. If the prince would not pick me, I would probably be spared the humiliation and torture of giving away my virginity to someone who was not even interested in me. My hopes soared as he gave a bored look to his father. “What is it?”“Your brothers picked the best lot. You are just left with this.” The King said, pointing to me. I felt hurt to be treated like this. Was I just an object to give them pleasure and satisfy their needs? Did they treat even their mates like this? Surely they would love and respect their mates. I saw the prince’s face and involuntarily took a step back. He straightened his back and had a predatory gaze on his handsome face that made him look both enticing and feral. There was also a faint white scar running down from his left eyebrow to the bridge of his nose. Somebody had clawed at him, mercilessly at that. No wonder, his eye color looked different to me. Was it silver or greyish black? Or both? Or was it the palace lights playing tricks with me? I blinked furiously to not wonder about the eye color of the prince who was going to slaughter me. It would do me good if I found out the nearest exit point. Jasper was younger but somehow he had a sinister aura around him as if he harbored a special type of darkness. The words of the lady who had scrubbed me within an inch of my life earlier rang in my ears again, making my heart beat wildly. What if he would directly kill me and leave my body to rot in the jungle? Will he stab me in the back as soon as he throws me in his room? I wondered and my body gave an involuntary shudder. “Pray that the youngest prince doesn’t look at you” The woman had said but I was in the exact same situation. And, she had not told me what to do if he were to look at me. I tried hard to not shiver as a cool breeze of find swept past me. His eyes did not look at me with pure lust or desire but there was something else in the way he watched me. As if he was a hunter and I was his prey. The King got up from his seat and left the room after clicking his tongue reproachfully. His footsteps echoed through the large hall, his huge golden robes swishing in the air as he strode away. The prince yawned and stretched his body as he too got up from the chair. He looked at ease but the guards stepped back involuntarily when he finally got up from his chair. “Leave” Prince Jasper ordered and the guards were more than relieved to exit the room. I should have left too but I was too busy gawking at the wall of muscle heading towards me. His walk reminded me of a beast going out to hunt his prey, laid back but watchful. He was taking his time to slowly walk towards me as I tried not to blink. The staring match had just restarted it seemed. “What do they call you?” He asked after lazily roaming his eyes over my bare body. If he was disappointed or amused by my ‘not an hourglass figure’ body, he did not show. Placing his hands in his pockets, he circled me with the same slow steps that made the back of my hair stand on its end. His robe brushed past my leg and I felt him bend. My heartbeat began to race as I thought he was going to haul me up just like his brother had thrown Violet over his shoulder. My fists clenched and I nervously shifted my weight from one foot to another as I felt something brush past the small of my back. This time I did shiver but before I could scream, he had reached the periphery of my vision as he circled back to face me again. And, he was not even looking at me. Rather he was observing something in his hand. Curious, I peered at his hand intently and saw that he was examining one of the small flowers that the scrubbing woman must have braided in my hair. If he did not really want me, why all this fuss? “That is Pussytoes”“Huh?” I blinked and realized he was talking about the flower and had shared its name with me. “The name might suit you too” He said with a devious grin. Damn, he was getting on my nerves.
Chapter 4 Chapter 4
Celia But then I recalled that I had yet to answer him. And it would do me good to answer him than be called that wretched name again. Hence, I answered with as much courage as I could muster. “Ce-Celia”“Not so beautiful, are you? My brothers usually don’t leave anything but they left you so you are clearly the worst possible choice.” Jasper said in a neutral tone but it felt like a slap on my face. His words made me boil in rage. I clenched my fists and was about to answer but my wolf, Rain, cautioned me. “Don’t get into a fight with him. He would probably bury our body in the garden in broad daylight and nobody would bat an eyelid” As much as I wanted to wipe that cocky grin off his face, she had a point. I wanted my head on my shoulders and if possible, my virginity intact. I did not want to be claimed by a prince…not a monster in the least. His voice was deep and broody and he neared me to whisper something in my ear. I tried not to show that I was afraid of him as I stayed my ground, holding my chin up again. His breath made my skin tickle as he towered over me and blew air on my face. I fought to keep my eyes open as his intoxicating scent surrounded me. Jasper neared my ear and I was not sure why but my mind began to think of something dirty…something that definitely did not involve cleaning toilets. I swallowed nervously as he whispered in my ear, his lips a millimeter away from my skin. “Are you afraid of me?” Jasper asked and he slowly stepped back to look at me in the eye. My body was shivering but it had nothing to do with fear. It was due to the unexpected nearness of him. I had never let a man come so close to me, never dreamt of a handsome man who would whisper something to me. Except of course, if I would have imagined it, he would definitely not ask me if I was afraid. If I had to pick someone, I would have picked my best friend, Vasil, who was currently deployed in the army. I had had a crush on him since childhood and had always thought that he would be my mate. But that dream was just going to stay that…a dream. In reality, I was standing stark naked in front of the cruelest prince of our kingdom and he had somehow not yet left the room. Seconds turned to minutes as I fought back my fear…and the other traitorous thoughts trying to overwhelm my brain. “I am not” If I had expected my answer to anger him, it had the opposite effect. Instead of growing angry and starting to throw around things wildly, he only looked at me…amusingly? Jasper towered over me so he lowered himself a bit, placing his hands on his knees to get a good look at me. I imagined how it would look to the others. A lamb mewling in front of a lion, trying to boldly state that it was not scared of the mighty beast. “Liar. Everybody is afraid of me” He said as a devious smile appeared on his lips. Up close, I could see his eyes dancing with some kind of restless energy. He was handsome but in an unnerving kind of way. His eyes were the brightest silver, unlike anything I had seen until now. Just a black dot in the center of the silver orbs that shone like diamonds. And amidst all the beauty, a single scar…a faint white line running down from the lower side of his eyebrow to the bridge of his nose. His dark brown hair fell in waves, reaching his shoulders. Wait, why was I admiring him? I shook my head and took in a deep breath as I regained control of my mind. “Not me” I said while gritting my teeth. I was not sure what had emboldened me to stand up to him but somehow those words had left my mouth. I wanted to show that I was not afraid of him, that I did not care if the others feared him. “What will you do if I let you have your freedom back? He asked me, and I looked up so fast that I think I broke my neck. I did not want to be his slave or his sex toy. And I had no idea if he was simply toying with me or was really going to offer me that chance. Part of me was still wondering how the most cruelest prince had not yet lashed out at me despite me giving him plenty of reasons to do so. But then, I had to take the chance and clutch the smallest ray of hope. “If you do let me, I will defeat any opponent and take back my freedom” I had no doubt that he would make me go through hell if I really wanted to escape his clutches so I knew I would have to fight for it. I answered in an unwavering voice and felt proud that I had still not made it to his bed. The palace was big enough yet I could hear the moans intermixed with pained cries of the girls who the princes had taken to their bed-chamber. “And if you don’t?” He asked me in the same amused tone. I could imagine what would happen to me. Of him throwing me on his bed and making me moan just like the girls were doing. Were they really enjoying or were they just forcing themselves to feel so and satisfy the princes’ ego? I imagined Jasper’s hands on me, his mouth roaming on my body, and his- My attention was snapped back to the present as he snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “You have a habit of not answering the first time you are asked a question, don’t you? You need to be punished” Jasper said but the way his voice caressed the words brought some other sort of punishment in my head. The palace air was definitely playing with my emotions and tricking my rational thought process. I was imagining wild things instead of devising a plan to ensure my safety. My mind felt confused and the air suddenly felt suffocating. Despite the wide open hall, I began to feel claustrophobic. And, I did not know if I was being stupid or unnaturally brave but even I was surprised when the next words left my mouth. “Don’t you dare to force yourself upon me. I will claw out your dick and you will not be able to ever fuck a woman again.” As soon as I said that aloud, Rain groaned in my head. “We are definitely going to get buried in the backyard tonight” But I did not give a damn. I would fight him and die valiantly, just like my mother. He would walk past my tombstone and remember that he had met a girl who was not afraid of him. IF they built me a tombstone, that is. Jasper looked at me as I flared my nostrils. The smile was replaced by a sharp look and I cursed my bloody mouth. I had a habit of inviting trouble, something my mother would often scold me for. Part of me feared that he would hit me or drag me to his bed. His face, when not brooding or angry, could look quite handsome. He was not the regular prince charming but he did look quite…intimidating. But if I was going to die, I was going to make it worthwhile. As I stood there, shivering in fear and anxiety, I saw him look at me intently. I gulped nervously and only watched him like a curious bird as he tilted his head. Seconds turned to minutes as I waited and waited for him to attack me. But nothing would have prepared me for his reaction. Instead of scowling or raising his hand to hit me, that beast of a Lycan started to laugh.
Chapter 5 Chapter 5
Celia Jasper’s laughter rumbled through the big and wide chamber that had just us both. I was standing naked in front of him but so far he had not even touched me. His deep throaty laughter rumbled through the space, the sound amplified as it bounced off the walls. Jasper was clutching his stomach tightly and his eyes had begun to water due to all the laughing. I could do nothing but just blink as I folded my hands across my chest. Had I just made the evil prince laugh? I was not even sure what great joke I had cracked. My foot tapped on the floor and I tried to not let my annoyance show as he tried hard to contain his laughter. It was not laced with mirth or annoyance…just pure delight…as if he had never heard anything funnier. I rolled my eyes and waited for the prince to finish his laughter and let me know what he planned to do with me. But then a woman came running in hurriedly, her body shivering uncontrollably. However, she stopped by the doorframe and hovered around it uncertainly. “Pr…prince Jasper” She said with her head bent low. I could see sweat beads appear on her temples and her knees quake. Jasper finally stopped laughing and spoke to the woman. All the earlier delight had left his face and he reverted to his old, grumpy self again. “What is it?” He barked, all of his earlier merriness wiped out of his voice. His sharp voice made the poor woman tremble even more. “There…there seems to be a mistake.” She said and I felt that the way her voice cracked would make her faint. Jasper swished his robe and turned to face her. I was relieved for a moment that his attention and ire were subjected to someone other than me for a change. Yet I felt sorry for the poor woman. She was probably a palace servant based on the clothes she was wearing. “What mistake?” Jasper growled again and she was saved the grace of answering as I heard the familiar voice of someone as he walked in. It was my alpha, or if I could even call him that. He was still wearing the soiled and crumpled clothes from the battle and entered the chamber with a deep brow. My heart fluttered thinking that he had finally come to save me. But he completely ignored me and bowed deeply to the prince. “Apologies for entering the chamber without prior notice or permission, prince Jasper.” Jasper’s face was now turned into a scowl that began to grow deeper, making his jawline appear even more prominent. He turned around and sauntered towards the chair and sat over it, resting his elbow on the armrests. “Your apology won’t make me want to laugh again,” Jasper said in a clipped tone and I felt the alpha swallow nervously. “I…am sorry, your highness” He stated and Jasper raised an eyebrow at that. It was weird for me to see the alpha of my pack shiver in front of a prince, the youngest one, at that. “Celia is one of my pack members, the daughter of our beta, who proved to be a valuable asset of our pack. He saved my newborn son. He…he wants her daughter back.” My heart fluttered in my chest. At last, my alpha was not a coward. He was still trying to fight for me. Hope blossomed in my heart and I took a step in his direction but the prince raised his hand. “I don’t remember asking you to move, girl” His sharp voice felt like tiny shards of ice pricking my skin. The little confidence alpha Jack had shown disappeared into thin air as Jasper’s eyes narrowed on him. “Celia was brought here as an offering, just like all the other girls. Do you know what it means to take back a present? Do you know how poorly will it reflect on your pack and your standing in the King’s eyes?” The prince thundered and the way the lights around us flickered made us take a step back involuntarily. The air suddenly felt heavy and I felt a suffocating pressure around me, dragging me down. Alpha Jack fell to his knees and clasped his hands together. “The Lycan king wants me to offer something in exchange for leaving my newborn son unharmed while alpha Kyle, who attacked my pack, wants to barter my son in exchange for not having to give up on his own daughter.” He said as tears began to flow down his cheeks. “And how does that concern me?” Jasper asked as he drummed his fingers lazily. Though, I could see an undercurrent of irritation building inside him…like the water of a dam being held in by the weakest wall that was slowly crumbling to rubble. “If…if you will be kind enough to let me take Celia away…I can let her enter a trial by combat with alpha Kyle’s daughter…the girl who wins goes back home and the one who loses comes back to you.” I could not believe my ears. Alpha Jack had just come to take me back to save his own son, not to take me to my parents. I saw my hopes getting shattered to pieces as alpha Jack did not even meet my eye. I did not mind fighting a girl to save my life and claim my freedom back. But the way I was being bartered by my own alpha left me…numb. My eyes flicked to Jasper. The decision of my fate, rested on the evil prince who was lazying on the chair, stifling a yawn. “You lost all the claim on the girl the moment she stepped into the palace. Get out” Jasper barked as alpha Kyle was left with no choice but to walk out of the chamber. Following him, the palace servant, who had been shivering, walked away too. And with them, I saw my chances of freedom leave me as well. I was stuck in the palace, with the cruel prince who had yet to decide what he was going to do with me. "Just kill me and be done with it” I said as irritation building up inside me found its escape through my tongue. I was not even afraid of death anymore. I could even picture meeting my parents again in the afterlife. “Things have gotten too interesting for that” He replied, dragging me out of my thoughts. He gave me a malicious look and a smile that did not reach his eyes. “What…what do you mean?” If he was not going to give me a quick death…was he going to take pleasure in torturing me as I screamed my lungs out? Fear began to snake its ugly way through my veins and crawl along my skin, making sure that I could feel every fiber of the dread and sadness inside me return with a ferocious intensity. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face as he spoke, "I know what you are. Go to your room. We will talk tomorrow." "My room?" I blinked in confusion. I was a slave, brought here to auction off. Perhaps, he meant his room or his bed. This was definitely another trick of his to intimidate me. “Your room.” He nodded and pretended to walk away from me, but he didn’t go far. Instead, he took a single step toward me, reaching down and grabbing hold of my arm, pulling me off the ground. He turned to face me and he yanked me up so hard that I stumbled and hit him. He twisted my wrist behind my back until I screamed, forcing the screams into a cry that was half terror, half agony. The touch of his hands around my neck felt like rough, calloused hands had been crushing my windpipe. His face blurred in front of mine, shadow, and light trying to overcome each other. There was only one thing I could think of. I pictured death, and how peaceful it would be.
